INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 12647-8 First edition 2012-03-15 Graphic technology Process control for the production of half-tone colour separations, proof and production prints Part 8: Validation print processes working directly from digital data Technologie graphique Contrôle des processus de confection de sélections couleurs tramées, d'épreuves et de tirages Partie 8: Processus d'impression de maquette couleur produite à partir de données numériques Reference number ISO 12647-8:2012(E) ISO 2012
ISO 12647-8:2012(E) Provläsningsexemplar / Preview COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT ISO 2012 All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or ISO's member body in the country of the requester. ISO copyright office Case postale 56 CH-1211 Geneva 20 Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11 Fax + 41 22 749 09 47 E-mail copyright@iso.org Web www.iso.org Published in Switzerland ii ISO 2012 All rights reserved
ISO 12647-8:2012(E) Contents Page Foreword... iv Introduction... v 1 Scope... 1 2 Normative references... 1 3 Terms and definitions... 2 4 Requirements... 2 5 Test methods... 8 Annex A (informative) Determination of print durability after stabilization... 11 Annex B (normative) Surface gamut patches... 14 Bibliography... 16 ISO 2012 All rights reserved iii
ISO 12647-8:2012(E) Provläsningsexemplar / Preview Foreword ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization. International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2. The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote. Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. ISO 12647-8 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology. ISO 12647 consists of the following parts, under the general title Graphic technology Process control for the production of half-tone colour separations, proof and production prints: Part 1: Parameters and measurement methods Part 2: Offset lithographic processes Part 3: Coldset offset lithography on newsprint Part 4: Publication gravure printing Part 5: Screen printing Part 6: Flexographic printing Part 7: Proofing processes working directly from digital data Part 8: Validation print processes working directly from digital data iv ISO 2012 All rights reserved
ISO 12647-8:2012(E) Introduction This part of ISO 12647 specifies the properties, and associated test methods, required for digital prints and printing processes to meet the criteria established for validation prints. In most printing workflows, there is a requirement for a visual representation of the expected appearance of the document being printed that can be used as part of the agreement between the customer and printer. Where this visual representation is produced such that its characteristics (colour fidelity, tone reproduction, registration, size, etc.) simulate those of the expected printing within tight tolerances, it is usually referred to as a contract proof. As the name implies, contract proofs are used as part of the contractual relationship between customer and printer and are used as a visual aim for the press operator during printing as well as the absolute reference against which the finished production is compared. Not unexpectedly, systems that can produce contract proofs are usually expensive and require careful operation and maintenance. ISO 12647-7 specifies the requirements for contract proofs and systems used to produce contract proofs directly from digital data. Recently, other visualizations of the final printed product have found a place in the printing/proofing workflow because designers and print buyers prefer not go to the expense of using an ISO 12647-7 compliant contract proof any earlier in the process than necessary. In many situations, participants in the work flow require a hardcopy visual reference of lesser quality than a contract proof. In the past, those prints varied widely in quality and were often referred to as design proofs, concept proofs, layout prints, etc. That quality level is here being referred to as a validation print. Because data are exchanged electronically and visualizations of those data are produced at multiple sites, there is a requirement for defined requirements for validation prints to allow a degree of consistency throughout the workflow. One of the goals of having less stringent requirements, particularly on colour fidelity, is to allow the production of validation prints on less elaborate and less costly devices than are required for contract proofs. The requirements for validation prints and the systems used to produce validation prints are documented in this part of ISO 12647. Validation prints are not intended to replace contract proofs for predicting colour on production printing devices. It is expected that the modifications of the requirements for validation prints, along with the requirements for contract proofs, will continue in the future as industry requirements and imaging technologies develop. ISO 2012 All rights reserved v
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 12647-8:2012(E) Graphic technology Process control for the production of half-tone colour separations, proof and production prints Part 8: Validation print processes working directly from digital data IMPORTANT The electronic file of this document contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct understanding of the document. Users should therefore consider printing this document using a colour printer. 1 Scope This part of ISO 12647 specifies requirements that can be used for determining the conformance of systems that produce a hard-copy validation print, directly from digital data, which is intended to simulate the expected appearance of material printed in accordance with a characterized printing condition. It is not intended for use in determining the conformance of production printing systems (digital or conventional) since many aspects of production printing are not covered in this part of ISO 12647. 2 Normative references The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the reference document (including any amendments) applies. ISO 3664:2009, Graphic technology and photography Viewing conditions ISO 8254-1, Paper and board Measurement of specular gloss Par 1: 75 degree gloss with a converging beam, TAPPI method ISO 12639, Graphic technology Prepress digital data exchange Tag image file format for image technology (TIFF/IT) ISO 12040, Graphic technology Prints and printing inks Assessment of light fastness using filtered xenon arc light ISO 12640-1:1997, Graphic technology Prepress digital data exchange Part 1: CMYK standard colour image data (CMYK/SCID) ISO 12642-2, Graphic technology Input data for characterization of 4-colour process printing Part 2: Expanded data set ISO 12647-1, Graphic technology Process control for the production of half-tone colour separations, proof and production prints Part 1: Parameters and measurement methods ISO 13655:2009, Graphic technology Spectral measurement and colorimetric computation of graphic arts images ISO 2012 All rights reserved 1
ISO 12647-8:2012(E) Provläsningsexemplar / Preview 3 Terms and definitions For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 12647-1 and the following apply. 3.1 validation print substrate printing substrate used for validation print processes NOTE A validation print substrate is usually characterized by its light fastness or permanence properties, with only essential requirements dictated by the printing process. 3.2 ICC International Color Consortium 3.3 print stabilization period time after which the colour does not change anymore NOTE It is necessary that this property of the validation print system be specified by the manufacturer. 3.4 digital contract proof digital print of high colour accuracy, useable as reliable visual colour reference for printing, and as a part of a commercial agreement as defined in ISO 12647-7 3.5 validation print print produced directly from digital data early in the production chain meeting the requirements of this part of ISO 12647 representative of the concept for the final product NOTE A validation print can have reduced accuracy compared to contract proof. 3.6 production print substrate intended substrate to be used for production printing 3.7 PDF/X title of a series of ISO standards regarding the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) for the dissemination of digital data intended for print reproduction 3.8 TIFF/IT Tagged Image File Format for Image Technology format for exchanging raster-based data in accordance with ISO 12639 4 Requirements 4.1 Data requirements for validation print systems Validation print systems shall accept digital data delivered as PDF/X data files in accordance with ISO 15930 (all parts) or TIFF/IT files in accordance with ISO 12639. Where the digital data is delivered as PDF/X data files, the intended printing condition being simulated shall be that defined in the OutputIntents array of the PDF/X file. Where a profile is required for data conversion, the profile that is the value of the DestOutputProfile key in the PDF/X file shall be used. Where TIFF/IT files are used, colour information shall be included using tag 34675 or tag 34029. 2 ISO 2012 All rights reserved